We write this letter with 31 days to go to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ kick-off of the opening ceremony and match between the host nation South Africa and Mexico at Soccer City in Johannesburg. Preparations have been made and it is by God’s provident grace that we see His Hand in all that has come together during our administration.
We started out about a year ago just after the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup™ and our prayer at that time, and since, has been for brethren to labour with us at the 2010 event (Matthew 9:37, 38; Luke 10:2). It has been amazing and all praise and glory to our Living God who has brought brethren together to labour and make commitments to labour in His harvest fields. Brethren who we have only known through the electronic media, like FaceBook and the blogging-sphere, have connected and met with each other: praying, fellowshipping, laboring and eating together as the early Church did after Pentecost (Acts 2:43-47). The verse that speaks volumes is Acts 2:44:
And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; (my emphasis).Our Lord Jesus Christ is building His Church and when He builds there will be no confusion as to what is True and there will be no division between believers. God brings His children together which speak the same Truth and their desires, passions and obedience is common – it is the same. Our God is not a god of confusion. Hallelujah.
At the outset in 2009 there appeared to be few labourers, but God has brought the labourers together and still the numbers are growing – labourers like Bill Adams and Jason Karroll (both USA), Nigel Titus (Cape Town, legintitus@gmail.co.za or 083 642 4454), Vincent Piater (Empangeni, who will be travelling up to Gauteng with Gary), Glenn Smith (Durban, glenn@brandmasterpromo.co.za or 073 192 9399), and Ben Janse van Vuuren (Bloemfontein, who will be conducting some training on 15th May 2010 for a group in Bloemfontein in the Free State Province – contact him on benvanvuuren@mtnloaded.co.za or 083 233 9225) together with their teams of evangelists (which names are not all known at this time – we thank you for your passion to reach the lost and obedience to Christ Jesus) have been brought together with a common cause – to take the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to the various nations coming to South Africa. Then there is Brother Syd Warren from Centurion, Tshwane/Pretoria who will also be laboring with us in the greater Gauteng / North West area and he will also be conducting ‘The Way of the Master’ boot-camp at the Bethel Chapel, Pretoria (Gauteng Province) on 22nd May 2010 from 9am – 1pm (for more information visit their website or contact Syd on Email or (012) 653 1368) where he fellowships – training laborers in the Biblical proclamation of the Gospel – and we will also be networking with Michael Sischy from the ‘Jews For Jesus’ ministry in Johannesburg. I met Michael in Pietermaritzburg at a Hayfield Baptist Church meeting where I was only visiting in March 2010 and he was conducting a sermon ‘Jesus in the Passover.’ It was there that I found out that Michael Sischy had met Bill Adams (SFOI) at a conference in Moreleter Park, Pretoria during the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup™ (where I had chauffeured Bill) and that he would be laboring with an evangelistic team also at the World Cup. Praise God for these divinely appointed meetings!
During this time we have also been blessed of our Lord Jesus Christ, where Brother Ray Comfort and the family at Living Waters have graciously partnered with the Luke 9:23 Evangelism and Sports Fan Outreach International ministries by giving us a gift of specially commissioned Million Euro Bill Gospel Tracts with football (soccer) caricatures on them and with the presentation of the Gospel in Portuguese, German, Italian, French and English. It is a blessing when one receives emails from far a field as South Korea, like this one (it has been censored to withhold certain classified information, and shortened):
Good Morning,At this time we are still working out the logistics of tract distribution to the various centers around South Africa where established teams of evangelists are ready to hit the streets. Although we would love to send tracts to various nations at this time it would be prudent, discerning and wise to focus our attention, prayers and resources to the mission field at hand. Should the soldier be in South Africa during the World Cup we request that he contact us to labour in our Lord’s harvest.
I am a (Christian) Canadian English teacher living in South Korea, where I have met many US Military personnel and one particular brother is leaving to visit his hometown of Sierra Leone for the South African World Cup in June. After receiving the Way of the Weekly Update, I noticed that you guys were giving away World Cup gospel tracts. I went to the link but could not find anything pertaining to this situation.
I am not sure if you are sending tracts from the US or they already have them in South Africa, but if you could send some to the soldier's address, he said that he would be more than happy to give out tracts.
Actually, he also said that he took the Way of the Master course sometime back.
Here is his mailing address:
(Name withheld)
(Address withheld)
In Christ,
Brian (Surname withheld)
(City withheld), South Korea
We would also ask that you remember our dear brother Thomas Nunes who has gone on to glory. Brother Bill Adams has written the following in remembrance of our brother in Christ.OBITUARY
Brother Thomas Nunes passed on Tuesday morning, April 13th, 2010 at 1:33 AM. He had been sick with pancreatic cancer & essentially bed ridden for six months & as I spent the last week of his life with him he was taking large amounts of pain killer still. He was very thin & was unable to speak. It was sad to see such a former soldier for Christ in this state but we know of the promise of a new glorified body.Thomas & I had spent quite a bit of time together over the last year including our journey to Johannesburg for the '09 Confederations Cup. He was easy & a joy to be with. He demonstrated a love for God that most of us would like to exhibit; he was tireless on the streets & grateful for his salvation. Perhaps the Confederations Cup was the best time of ministry personally as he returned to the continent from which he was from to preach & as the Lord would have many Zimbabwean refugees – Thomas although of Indian decent was a native of Zimbabwe – were in downtown Joburg, as we preached there.
Yes, Thomas was able to return to his earthly home & declare his faith before he was called to his eternal home. I think all of us on that journey, Gary Crous, Willem Pretorius & me, had a special bond & Thomas will be missed when we reconvene Lord willing June 17, 2010.
Thomas continued to preach from the end of June '09 until October '09 before he fell ill. We had wonderful journeys to the MLB All-Star weekend in St. Louis & Knoxville, TN for college football both trips where six of us had the chance to fellowship with Thomas for an extended time & enjoy his delightful presence.
May we take a moment to remember this faithful brother & then go out in victory to proclaim Christ. That's what he would've done & would've wanted us to do.
----- ooo -----Here are also Schedules for the missions taking place in –
Gauteng (Johannesburg & Pretoria) / North West Provinces (Rustenburg):
Contact Gary Crous at 072 221 1233
Western Cape Province (Cape Town):Contact Nigel Titus at 083 642 4454
We ask that you kindly keep the work of our Lord Jesus Christ in prayer making prayerful intercession for your Brethren in the harvest field for protection, discernment, wisdom, understanding and knowledge and we also pray for the Holy Spirit to work miracles by calling the elect to repentance and faith. May all the work we are involved in be of Almighty God and that we set aside our own will and desires. Allow God to use us to Glorify Himself and His Son our Lord Jesus Christ, in and through His Holy Spirit for the extension of His Kingdom. Let us worship our God in obedience to Him.In Christ’s Service until He returns
